| Module Lead | Contact |
|---|---|
| Dr. Jon Reades Dr. Fulvio Lopane | j.reades[at]ucl.ac.uk f.lopane[at]ucl.ac.uk Slack |
| PGTAs | |
| Leo Gao, Hamish Gibbs, Francesco Terenzi, Maurice Glucksman | Slack |
Foundations is distributed across two web sites:
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Quantitative Methods (QM)
Foundations of Spatial Data Science (FSDS)
This class hopes to achieve four things:
These skills are intended to be transferrable to post-degree employment or research.
The specific activities for each week can be found on the microsite: jreades.github.io/fsds/. These include:
Bring Your Computer
Please remember to bring your own computer to the practical sessions! The tools we use are not installed on cluster systems.
So…
Don’t take my word for it, Prat et al. (2020) in Nature link language learning to programming language learning!
I was really struggling with the concepts of lists, dictionaries and iterations (I basically could not do any of Practical 3 without panicking) and I was telling
that it felt like Workshop 3 was all in a foreign language - I was so lost. But both yesterday and today, I have been over all the content, recordings and even code camp again and I’ve just had a penny drop moment, I could cry woohooo!!!!!!
I really appreciate all the effort you’ve put into recording the concepts ahead of lectures and the way you’ve structured the module, although it is very fast-moving you have provided all the resources for us to do well.
I just wanted to update you on my progress. Since flipping the content round following your advice, I have been feeling much much better. I followed what you were doing in the workshop and also have completed the practical in about half the time than I usually do. Thanks so much for responding and for your effort with this module.
Students face the risks of the de-skilling of geography and planning at one end, and being subsumed by data science at the other…
See this thread on moving from academia to data science.
You will learn to code best if you treat it like learning a new language:
When you need an answer right now:
When you want to learn more:
From the Computer Science Wiki:
To which I would add:
print(variable) statements liberally in your code!There is no shame in asking for help. None. We are here to support your learning and we have chosen a range of tools to support that:
#fsds channel for help with coding, practical, and related course questions.In addition to what I have provided, I like the “How to ask programming questions” page provided by ProPublica:
If you find yourself wanting to ask a question on Stack Exchange then they also have a guide, and there are plenty of checklists.
You will get things wrong. I will get things wrong.
We will assume that you are trying your best. Please assume the same about us!
It’s going to be messy, but I’m really excited about it!
Auto-Updates
Do not allow your computer to auto-update during term. Inevitably, major upgrades will break developer tools. Do this by choice only when you have time. MacOS Sonoma is out 26 September, do not install it!
Getting Oriented • Jon Reades